The present invention relates to irradiation of a workpiece through a patterned mask and, more particularly, to a laser ablation mask, its method of production, and its manner of use. Although the present invention is described in the context of laser ablation, it is contemplated by the present invention that the irradiation mask of the present invention is suitable for use in irradiation applications outside of the realm of laser ablation.
As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, laser ablation has application in many diverse fields. Typically, laser ablation processes must be done at relatively high laser power and high accuracy with high throughput and a high degree of repeatability. Laser ablation masks have been employed to enhance the accuracy and repeatability of the process. The mask incorporates apertures that are transparent to the wavelength of the radiation output by the laser and is used to produce a similar pattern of apertures on each of a plurality of successive workpieces. However, high laser power and throughput typically have adverse effects on many laser ablation masks.
Typical laser power levels often exceed 1 watt/cm.sup.2. In ordinary metal masks fabricated from chromium, power levels above 1 watt/cm.sup.2 cause separation of the metal from the underlying glass or quartz substrate because a substantial amount of laser energy is absorbed by the metal layer, even though a high percentage of the incident laser radiation is reflected. As a result, the metal of the mask itself, and not just the material of the workpiece, may be ablated by the laser. Accordingly, the useful life of a particular laser projection mask formed of metal is very limited at high power levels.
Due to the inability of metal masks to withstand the laser ablation process at desired laser power flux levels, masks composed of alternating dielectric films of silicon oxide and tantalum oxide of closely controlled thickness and differing refractive indices have been proposed and used in some applications. If the thicknesses of the layers are closely controlled with respect to the wavelength of the laser radiation and the respective refractive indices of the materials, a destructive interference pattern can be established to reflect a majority of the light incident on each dielectric layer pair. Desirable thicknesses and materials for these layers are on the order of 500 Angstroms for silicon oxide and 400 Angstroms for tantalum oxide. The transmitted radiation flux can be reduced to any arbitrary desired degree by increasing the number of dielectric layer pairs which are stacked together to form the mask. However, dielectric masks are difficult to manufacture and the materials proposed for use in the plurality of dielectric layer pairs are very difficult to pattern in order to form a mask. Accordingly, multi-layered dielectric masks have not yet provided a solution to the trade-off between mask cost and laser throughput requirements in laser ablation. As a result, there is a continuing need for an irradiation mask resists laser ablation and that represents a simplified and cost effective mask manufacturing process.